When Edward Met Bella
by 80's Movie Contest
Summary: Can men and women be just friends? Perhaps that depends on who your friends are. My entry for the 80's Movie Contest.


**80's Movie Anon One-Shot Contest**

**Title: When Edward Met Bella**

**Movie Inspiration: When Harry Met Sally**

**Characters: Edward and Bella**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, books or film rights.**

**Summary: Can men and women be just friends? Perhaps that depends on who your friends are. My entry for the 80's Movie Contest.**

**-0-**

Becoming friends with Isabella Swan was the single most important decision in my entire life.

If I could sum up this whole story in one sentence that would be it. But our story has chapters and layers, plot diversions and twists. It is part angst and part comedy but in the end romance. We've had tears and laughter and I guess you could say we've had times when you wanted to find a large stick and beat the director over the head. But although our story took many years to be told it made us who we are today.

My first impression of Bella Swan was one of intrigue. The end of college meant travelling back to Seattle and Bella answered my advert to car share. Squeezed into that car with our suitcases, laptops, boxes of random kitchen equipment and Bella's eleven million books we were stuck making small talk. Unlike my girlfriend Alice, whirling and infectious in her enthusiasm for everything, Bella was quieter and more reserved. It took time to draw her out of herself and I must admit as the days passed I enjoyed her company more and more. She was less exhausting than Alice, that's for sure. I felt her grow more comfortable in my presence and we soon swapped stories and sang along to the radio. The only time I managed to rile her was on the subject of men and women. Fresh out of her politics and women's studies courses, she had a lot to say about women's rights and the way our male dominated society operated. It wasn't something I had spent a whole lot of time ever considering. So I just kept piling in with crass comments and sweeping statements just to watch her cheeks become pinker and pinker with indignation. Her voice would become a tiny bit shriller with agitation and she took to scowling at me as I chuckled at her. By the time we reached Seattle and parted company she looked glad to see the back of me and I tried not to dwell on the fact that it bothered me.

Alice and I broke up and life moved on. (Apparently she digs guys who go in for civil war re-enactment, go figure.) It was about three years later I bumped into Bella again. I had boarded a plane for New York and found her sitting in the seat next to me, her nose in a book, her fingers twirling in her long brown hair. Perhaps I wasn't the top of her preferred seating companions but we passed the time pleasantly catching up. She told me she was seeing some guy named Jacob, and it seemed pretty serious. I was on my best behaviour but sometimes she slipped in a comment to let me know I wasn't off the hook yet about my unenlightened views of modern women. So I threw in a few comments of my own just to see that hint of crimson rise into her cheeks. Once we landed she said her goodbyes and practically flounced out the airport doors. I admired her long legs as she went.

Another three years later I rounded a corner in Seattle's largest bookstore and there was Bella, pulling down books from a high shelf. She seemed different, not just that bit older, but as if she had the idealism and youthful hope knocked sideways out of her. I asked her for coffee and she only hesitated for a few seconds before agreeing. We caught up with each other's news quickly; family, friends, career, relationships. She was single again after Jacob deciding marriage wasn't for him. I told her I was single too, after a long relationship that just didn't work out. When I announced that we should be friends and hang out she rolled her eyes at me and sighed.

"Men and women can't be friends because the sex part always gets in the way," she stated dramatically.

"Rubbish," I countered. "I'm fairly sure we can be friends without me trying to get you naked."

She laughed as I wiggled my eyebrows at her. So that was the deal; Bella and I were going to be friends and nothing more. I was sure I could handle that. I knew plenty other women who did want me to get them naked.

For the next year Bella and I went for dinner, coffee, jogs in the park. We went to the theater, the movies and the circus. She helped me pick rugs and a new kettle. I fixed her faulty tap and lugged her Christmas tree up three flights of stairs into her apartment.

I should have known better than to pick an argument with Bella in the cinema queue. We were doing our usual back and forth_, men are like this, woman are like that_ and for some reason I don't now recall I was announcing that women are terrible, unconvincing liars and I could read them as clear as if I were a mind reader. As if I could hear their unspoken thoughts. Well, Bella took that look upon her face, that look that told me she was thinking real hard about how to prove me wrong. So half way through the movie she suddenly starts squirming in her chair and making these little panting noises and squeaking a bit.

"Are you okay?" I whispered, my popcorn spilling over my lap as I leaned towards her.

"Oooh, yes, baby," she answered loudly. Far too loudly. "Aaah, baby, oh just there!" More exaggerated panting ensued.

"Bella, cut it out!" I hissed, feeling my cheeks flame. Heads were starting to turn. Bella turned up the volume on her moaning by a few notches and started rolling her head around. I slumped down in my seat.

"Oh God, yes, yes, yes!" Bella was practically screaming by this time. The entire cinema had abandoned watching the film for the sideshow that was Bella giving it her best performance. The unmistakeable light of a torch started roaming the area we were seated in, no doubt looking for the sex crazed couple that need to be ejected from the theater.

"Oh, just there, I feel it baby!" she was squealing with enthusiasm. "Oh my God Edward, don't stop..."

"Bitch," I muttered at her with as much venom as possible as she continued her fake orgasm to a high pitched crescendo. She gave an extra loud squeal and sighed happily. Then as randomly as she started she stopped and flashed me a wide grin before shovelling a handful of popcorn in her mouth.

Somewhere in front of me I heard a puzzled voice, "Is she watching the same film I'm watching?"

Emmett nearly wet his pants when I told him that story. He thought it was the funniest thing he had ever heard. No matter how I tried to explain the meaning of the word mortification he just didn't get it and insisted that Bella sounded like his sort of girl. And that's how a few weeks later we ended up double dating, me bringing Emmett along to pair up with Bella and Bella bringing along a friend from work for me. Rosalie was blonde, blue eyed and kind of hostile looking. Quite frankly one raise of her eyebrows at me was enough to send my balls shuffling back up into my body. She was ice maiden and prom queen rolled into one. Emmett, though, took one look at her and became like melted putty. He began entertaining her in earnest. He threw her lustful looks all evening and she was just as bad. They shared interests in baseball and cars and pretty soon Bella and I were spare parts on our own dates. By the time coffee was served Bella was doing nothing but rolling her eyes at me and I was pinching the bridge of my nose. Chagrin wasn't the word.

New Year's came around and I took Bella to a party. She looked hot. Well, she did, I'm not going to lie. Her hair was soft and long, curled in that effortlessly glamorous way. She wore a dress that clung in all the right places and showed off her long legs and no-one ever got to see them much so it was a welcome revelation. Other men were looking at her and I discovered I didn't like that one little bit. She was so cute and excited when the fireworks exploded all over the night sky and I may well have noticed the lights of them reflected in her eyes as she watched. When the bells pealed for midnight I kissed her and wished her 'Happy New Year' and tried not to wish that I could kiss her again, for longer and in private.

Three months later late one night she phoned me. She was hiccupping and gasping, crying and generally being unintelligible. I was her friend, her best friend, so I told her to hold on and I would be there. When I arrived she sobbed on me, making my shirt damp and disgusting but I tried really hard not to think about that. That weasel Jacob Black, the one who said he never wanted to get married, was only engaged to some poor unfortunate girl named Leah.

"He just didn't want to marry me!" wailed Bella. Well, that's the short version because there was a whole lot more wailing and hiccupping and epic distress before I could get to the root of it all. And I really, really hated Jacob Black in that moment. Christ, I would have thrown daggers at him and anyone else that made Bella feel that bad about herself.

I just wanted her to feel better and to stop that awful crying. It sounded painful and more importantly, that scumbag didn't deserve her tears. Even in the middle of hysterics Bella still looked beautiful, despite puffy red eyes and blotchy cheeks. Holding her close I stroked her hair and breathed in the scent of her shampoo, feeling her shake a little as she dried her last tears. I can't say if it was my decision to kiss her or hers but suddenly we were kissing and an angry police chief with a gun couldn't have made me stop. All of a sudden she was soft limbs and soft lips, soft skin and warmth around me. I kissed her and kissed her and it wasn't enough. I felt greedy and crazy for more and more. She was the same, her tongue pushing into my mouth and her hands pulling me closer and closer. Making love to her seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

Waking up the next morning in Bella's bed, it did not seem like the best idea I had ever had. Reality hit like an unwelcome freight train. What had I done? What had we done? We had crossed that line we had sworn never to cross; we had broken our golden rule. She was still asleep, her rich dark brown hair spilling over her long pale back. I gathered up my discarded clothes and made my exit before she woke.

We pretty much avoided each other for a good while after that. I tried not to think about her and how good she felt that night. Her small firm hands, the curves of her and the sensation of her hair trailing down me as she kissed me all over. And that thing she did...I mean, who knew... I digress. The point is we were suddenly in uncharted waters. What is the etiquette for friends once you have become more than friends; once you know what it feels like to have them panting and writhing underneath you, blissed out on touch and pleasure; once you have kissed them tenderly and kissed them frantically; once you have had the best night of your life with the woman who is everything to you. And I wanted it again, and again and for the rest of my life. But I was too scared to ask her if that's what she wanted too. I didn't want to hear the words 'no' and 'just friends' from her. So I just pretended _it_ didn't happen. I ignored _it_ and left Bella's messages unanswered. We didn't spend any time together and we stopped phoning each other. It was a fucking mess and I felt sorrow and regret for letting Bella down in this way and ruining what we had. Iron bands circled my heart and squeezed painfully every time I thought about it all.

We had to come out of our self imposed exiles to attend Emmett and Rosalie's wedding rehearsal; at least some good had come of our matchmaking endeavours. I was to be the best man and Bella was chief bridesmaid so there we were firmly entrenched in the wedding party. It was so good to see her that it almost made up for the embarrassing moments when I looked at her sidelong, only to see her do the same and then watch the furious blush creep into her cheeks. I wanted to step across the aisle of the church and grab her by the wrist. I wanted to take her away and tell her that night was the best night of my life and I was sorry I messed it all up by sneaking away. I was sorry I was an idiot who was blinded by the obvious. I had run away and left her but I would never do it again if she would just have me in her life.

But I didn't because I was still being an idiot.

At the dinner Bella and I were placed next to each other and we struggled to be natural with each other. I didn't know what to do with my hands when I wasn't holding my cutlery and I really didn't have an appetite. Emmett stood up and gave some toasts and the last one was for us, the two friends who had brought the bride and groom together. I felt Bella bristle beside me, her eyes widening in response to the sudden attention of the whole room. I grabbed her hand underneath the table and held it while everyone raised their glasses and wished we would also find love. Bella let me hold her hand until it was over and then pulled away, a tear threatening to spill over and roll down her cheek. I felt like the meanest bastard in the world at that moment.

I didn't sleep much that night.

The next day dragged and dragged until the moment when I knew I would be standing opposite her again in the church. She looked perfect and beautiful in a long gown and flowers in her hair. I gazed at her all through Emmett and Rose saying their vows and I knew she felt it, felt me staring at her. I knew because she moved slightly from foot to foot and refused to look at me. But I didn't take my eyes from her, not for one second.

Eventually she gave up and snapped her eyes over to me. Irritation was rolling off her.

"What?" she mouthed at me.

"I. Love. You." I mouthed back at her. Then I just grinned at her, like the village idiot. Just beamed at her and shrugged.

Bella stared at me, her face a picture of incomprehension. Then her whole body changed. The nervous energy she had been using to hold her body stiff dissolved. Her face relaxed into a gorgeous smile. The smile reached all the way up into her eyes and I knew my face was a mirror image of hers. We stood there grinning at each other until the newly married couple had the decency to finish their ceremony. We had our own wedding to plan.

And that's how I ended up marrying my leading lady. If there was a movie of our story I would ask the scriptwriter to write out a lot of the years we wasted. _"The time to begin most things is ten years ago."_ I like to quote at her, mainly just because it makes her roll her beautiful brown eyes at me.

But Bella disagrees; she says it made us who we are today. She says we needed those years in-between to make our mistakes, to journey to the point of needing each other, to realise we were perfect together. Bella says we did begin ten years ago, with a friendship that had a haphazard path that sometimes had us going in the opposite direction to each other. We missed a few stage directions and fluffed some of our lines. But to me, our names will always be up in lights, _Bella and Edward, a true love story._

* * *

A/N First quote is from the original film.

Second quote is by Mignon McLaughlin.


End file.
